Mitchelstown News from The Avondhu

MITCHELSTOWN PUPIL JOINS WRITING ELITE

Bunscoil na Toirbhirte, Mitchelstown is celebrating following the success of Ria Burke in an international short story competition. 12-year-old Ria, from Ballyarthur is a sixth class pupil in the school and her achievement places her among Europe’s elite young writers.

Understandably, her school are cock-a-hoop at the accolade and this week, teachers, fellow pupils and board of management personnel joined in congratulating the high achiever.

One of Ireland’s foremost children’s authors, Judi Curtin visited the school on Tuesday to congratulate Ria and present her with a framed citation. Also present were John Butler of the Booksellers’ Association, the school’s creating writing teacher, Edwin Kelly along with her parents, Kieran and Sharon and grandmother, Nora Hilliard.

School principal, Kayren Hayes described the young writer as a credit to herself, her family and her school, she went on to say everyone was thrilled at Ria’s success, especially class mates.

Short story competition organisers, the Evans Publishing Group (in conjunction with World Book Day) set Ria the task of producing an entertaining story starting with the phrase ‘I will never forget the day I met the cuckoo’.

This would has stumped most 12-year-olds, but not the resourceful Ria who proceeded to produce a yarn about a mysterious line of cuckoos whose mission was to warn people about impending doom.

In a role usually reserved for visiting dignitaries Ria, assisted by caretaker and gardener, Mr Billy Murphy, was invited to plant a tree in the school grounds. Just like the young girl who fixed it in the soil the Cherry Blossom is cheerful and inspiring.